Three weeks ago, reader Sean Webber sent us a tip about enabling the kiosk mode on the iPhone using an extremely simple method. If you’ve ever been inside an Apple retail store and looked at the iPhones or iPads that have been sitting idle for a while, you know what I’m talking about.

Although we don’t have access to the videos that Apple uses, we can still enable the kiosk mode using our own properly named and stored video. Check inside as I show you how to enable iOS’ kiosk mode on your device.

In order to do this, you’ll need to be jailbroken, as you’ll need to use iFile or some other type of file browser in order to place a properly named video in the right location.

Step 1: Add any .mov file to your device, and name it Demo.mov.

Step 2: Move the video file to the private/var/mobile directory.

Step 3: Wait approximately five minutes and don’t touch your iPhone as you wait. The video should begin playing automatically.

It’s not a huge deal, but we thought this little trick was cool nonetheless. Thanks for sharing, Sean. What do you guys think?

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Except instead of calling it screensaver it should be called screendrainer

Jonathan

Yep. :/

Redwan Mohammed

pretty much lol xD

Kenan

Works

iPT MSTR

awesome… now i need some cool .movs

Justin

Couldn’t this be done without being Jailbroken? Couldn’t you just use iExplorer or iFunBox?

Jonathan

No. You need read/write access. You only have read access.

Manjot Singh

no, i tried and without jailbreak put on a nc widget so it should work. I might be wrong

Jonathan

That was with a beta version of iOS 7, and it was iPhone 4 only. So, that’s been long fixed.

Chris Duncan

Can I put a video from my photos on their?

http://R0Fleming.tumblr.com/ Romanel Fleming

Yes, as long as the video is a “.mov” format.

http://173.58.214.169/ That’s what Siri said!!!

I did that before with my iPod touch 4G and iOS 4.

ConduciveMammal

I wonder how they do this with the store units themselves. Obviously they aren’t jailbroken so could they be running a custom version of iOS that allows them to transfer these videos onto the units?

Vince Reedy

This is what I want to know. Write access without jailbreak.

http://twitter.com/_conath c0nath

Apple sure has some way to get write access to devices without jailbreaking.
It’s their software, after all

jake kneller

I would assume apple has a form or version of ios they use for demo but then that brings the question in how haven’t us in the JB community gotten our hands on it yet

Guest

you can access the /var/media/ directory without jailbreak

Framboogle

iFunBox?

LocalH

That’s fine, but the video goes in /private/var/mobile

Guest

If they have a custom iOS someone has to check the iOS version of an iPad in demo!

josh

They restore from a backup that has all the files and locked down preferences in it.

http://twitter.com/_conath c0nath

About a year ago, I signed in with my AppleID at my local apple store on a 4S and made it do an iCloud backup.
The next day, I restored my iPod Touch 4 and restored it from that backup (I actually wanted to get Siri Dictation this way, as, at that time, iDB published a story with sb successfully enabling it that way; I wasn’t).
Anyways, the only big difference I recall was that “wiggle mode” was disabled, just like in-store. Unfortunately, I didn’t try and wait for that screensaver, so I don’t know wether you can get it that way.
One thing for sure: they are using a modified version of iOS at the Apple Stores.

Blake Royer

They restore all demo store units to a modified version of the current software. the software has the exact same build number as the public software, just has the demo video, and a few modified .plist files so that you can’t move icons, set a pass code lock, or install App Store apps. and it comes with all the App Store apps you see on demo devices bundled into the modified ipsw.

Ian Fuchs

Does the video loop? of when it hits the end, does the device sleep? Thinking of many marketing-type possibilities with iPads, but it would need to cycle “infinitly”…

josh

Video Loops. Video won’t come on if device was locked. Device has to be on home screen and not touched.

Jose Gonzalez

Tried with my iPad mini Retina but didn’t work :/

Mike Currie

Is it possible to only enable this when iPhone is connected to the charger? This will murder battery if not..

josh

can’t enable it for only charger use. But if you lock your phone. it won’t enable the “screensaver”

Blake Royer

it relies on autolock, so create an activator gesture to turn on autolock when connected to power. have it turn off autolock when disconnected.

Gavin Friel

Any way of enabling it to automatically play in landscape mode instead?

josh

Make a landscape video…. not customisation of which mode without someone making a tweak

http://R0Fleming.tumblr.com/ Romanel Fleming

Awesome, but is there any known way to require the device to be idle for less time? Some of the stores here in the Seattle area have demo iPhones that will be idle for 1-2 minutes before they begin showing the demo video.

josh

Should be 2 minutes after last touch.

Zachatoo

Just change your “Auto-Lock” in settings. The Demo.mov relies upon that to know when to start the video. That’s why it won’t start if you lock the device.

Try double checking to make sure the file is in the correct directory, with a capitol “D” at the beginning and a “.mov” file extension. If so, try a reboot, unlock your device, and then let it sit for a few minutes.

niooong

Jeff Benjamin… Are Fuck’n kidding me❓
Not working as your Ass ‼️

http://R0Fleming.tumblr.com/ Romanel Fleming

Well, have you made sure that the video has a capitol “D” and “.mov” as the file extension? Have you placed it into the correct directory. Have you rebooted your device? Have you thought that maybe, just maybe, it’s not Jeff’s fault, and that every person has a different experience. What may work for some people, may not work for others.

Zachatoo

Anyone manage to find the iOS 7 Demo.mov? That would be awesome! I can’t think of any video that would look nice and clean for a screensaver with it being a portrait iDevice!

Blake Royer

The only way this is useful is if you have the actual apple store demo.mov

Please… don’t ask.

http://R0Fleming.tumblr.com/ Romanel Fleming

I soooo want this. But then of course, you’re under Apple contract to not share this and I respect that.